Switch-latch.



d i i i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIAN H. KENDIG, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BUDA COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SWITCH-LATCH.

To all whoml 'it may concern:

Be it known thatI, JULIAN H. KaNoio, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Latches, of which the following is a spcciiication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. i

T iis invention relates in general to switch latches, and more particularly to that type of switch latch, wherein the throwing level' of the switch is held in )osition against ordinary train movement, lint which yields under certain conditions, such as for example when a train runs through the switch, thereby preventing a derailnient or breakage of switch parts.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a novel switch latch adapted to positively hold the throwing lever of the switch in position against this ordinary train movement, and further adapted to permit the lever to be thrown by the hand, and to permit the automatic release thereof under abnormal pressure; another object is the provision of'a simple and inexpensive arrangement of latching mechanism which is positive and eiective in operation; and a further object is the rovision of means in a switch latch where y it is intended to provide a-latch proper which does not project into the downward path of the throwing lever, thereby eliminating possibility of breakage of the said latch.

These, together with such other objects as may hereinafter appear or are incident to my invention, I attain by means of a construction illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figures 1 and 2 re )resent an assembled side elevation and a .plan view respectively, illustrating the relation of the switch latch to the rest of the switch mechanism;

Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views of the latch itself, and taken from the right and left of Figures 1 and 2 respectively; Figure 3 showing the .latch pro er in normal and retracted position, wit i Figure 4 illustrating the latch in operative and advanced osition.

Referring lirst to t ic eneral arrangement of parts as shown in Iigures 1. and 2, the numeral 5 indicates a switch stand of conventional type, provided with the usual Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 29, 1913.

Patented Feb. i 15M Serial No. 770,673.

throwing or operating lever (i carrying the weight 7 at its free end, and designed to actuate the crank arm 8 which leads to the switch. The latches, wherein my invention particularly resides, are represented by the numeral 9-9, and are suitably positioned adjacent each side of the stand 5.

Referring now more particularly to the latch as illustrated in Figures 8 and 4, 1 provide a casing l0 having a base 1l, uml fur-- ther provided with a socket portion l2 foriniiig a yoke 13, into which the lever (i adapted to be received when thrown over to set the switch for main or branch line positions.

Within tlie casing 10 is the latch llt which is pivoted as indicated at l5; and a spring 16 which is suitably mounted to have one ol its ends take against the wall of the casing and the other against the free end of the latch. The action of the spring 1G then is to force the nose 14 of the latch la toward and to project into the socket l2.

In the practice of my invention, I have found it very effective to have the hitch normally held away from and out of the path of the downward movement of the lever, thus alfording no obstruction to the free passage of the lever into the socket, which latter forms the limit of this movement. To accom lish this I provide a iiovel'tripping mecianisni adapted to normally hold the latch in retracted position, and which on being released therefrom permits the hitch to exercise its function of holding the lever against ordinary train movement, and at the same time is adapted to allow the automatic release of the lever when subjected to abnormal pressure.

'llie tripping mechanism referred to coinprises a pawl 17 pivoted at one end in the casing, and provided with a shoulder 17 which is designed to normally engage a stop 14 formed on the latch 14 at a point substantially below its pivot. The pawl further has an extension 17 which, when the pawl co-acts with the latch to hold it in rctracted position, projects i1 iwardly through the base of the socket to lie in the downward path of the lever. l`he engagement between these (io-acting members is ohlainml throu h the pressure of the light coil springY 18, w iicli is interposed between thcI hase ol' the casing and the free end of the pawl, as will be seen on an inspection of the drawings.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows: In the form of construction as shown and with the latch in retracted position as in Figure 3, the operating lever on being thrown to set the switch describes an arc about its pivotal point, and when descending` freely enters the socket 12, and at siibstaiitiall the end oftliis iiiovement trips the pawl forcing it downwardly against the pressure of the spring 18 and releasing the latch, whose nose then moves to advanced or closed position through the acv tion of the spring 1G, where it projects into the socket and bears down upon the lever iii the manner indicated in Figure 4. It will be apparent that when the pawl is thus in its turn retracted, it takes up another position where it abuts the latch, rendering the spring 1S inoperative to exert any upward pressure on the lever.

When the throwing lever is swung up, it forces the latch inwardly against the pressure of the upper spring 16, and as the lever rises in the socket the pawl 17 moves upwardly to engage the stop 14b and holds t e latch 14 in retracted position, and out of the path of the lever.

If desired, for convenience in the manual operation of the lever, the latch ma be retracted by ressing down u on the ever 19 which projects outwardly rom the casing 10 for .that purpose. Instead of having the latch automatically Vreleasable, it may furthermore be made non-automatic by providing an a erture 2O in the casing, into which a pa lock-not shownmay be inserted for the purpose of retaining the latch in the position shown in Figure 4. The nose of the latch is preferably under beveled to facilitate the automatic releasing of the lever.

The entire arrangement is simple, and the device may be easily and cheaply manufactured; and all the parts are housed within a single casing which is designed to protect them from being tampered with by mischievous persons. I do iiot intend to restrict myself to the exact details of construction, nor to the precise arrangement of the parts as shown, as it is obvious that certain struc tural variations may be made, without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention as clearly pointed out in the appended claims. The essential features, elements and the o eration of the device, together with its e cctiveiiess and other advantages thereof, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In an automatic switch mechanism, a throwing lever, a stand adapted to receive the throwing lever, a. latch normally1 held in locking position in the path of the ever but` vautolmaticall. releasing on abnormal pressure oiifthek ever, arid a trip mechanism for holding the latch in retracted position out of the path of the lever, said mechanism being actuated by the lever to release the latch when the lever is thrown into the stand.

9.. In automatic switch mechanism, a throwing lever, a latch for locking the lever normally lying in locking position in the path of the lever, means whereby the latch automaticallyv releases upon abnormal pressure on the lever, and a trip mechanism tor holding the latch in retracted position out of the path of the lever.l said trip mechanism being actuated by the lever to release the latch when the lever has passed the latch a suflicieiit distance to be locked thereby.

3. In automatic switch mechanism, a tlirowinor lever, a latch for locking the lever yielliiigly held in locking position iii the path of tiie lever means whereby the latch automatically releases upon abnormal pressure on the levei', and a trip mechanism holding the latch in interlocking position out of the path of the lever, said trip mechanism being actuated by the lever to release the latch when the lever has moved into position to be locked by the latch.

4. In automatic switch mechanism, a throwing level', a stand adapted to engage the lever, a latch normally held in the path of the lever and automatically releasing on abnormal pressure tcndin to force the lever out oi the stand, auf a pawl adapted to engage the latch and hold it in retracted position out of the path of the lever, the said pawl lying in the path of the lever and being actuated thereby to release the latch when the lever has moved into the stand in position to be locked by the latch.

5. In automatic switch mechanism, a throwing lever, a stand adapted to receive the-lever, a latch mounted in the stand, a spring yieldingl holding the latch in locking position in tie ath of the lever, a iawl ivoted to the standpand adapted to holt the atcli in retracted position out of the path of the level', and a spring normally holding the pawl in engagement with the latch, tlitffi'ee end of the pawl lying in the `ath of the lever whereby the movement o the lever into the stand actuates the pawl to release the latch.

6. In automatic switch mechanism, a throwing lever, a stand adapted to receive the lever, a latch mounted iii the stand, a spring yieldingly holding the hitch in locking position iii the path of the lever, means whereby the hitch automatically releases upon abnormal pressure tending to throw the lever out of the stand, a pawl pivotcd to the stand and adapted to hold the latch in retracted position out of the path of the lever, and a spring normally holding the pawl in engagement with the latch, the free end of the pawl lying in the path of the lever whereby the movement of the lever into lOl lll

he hstand actuates the pawl to release the atc 7. In automatic switch mechanism, a throwing lever, a stand ada ted to receive the lever, a latch norma l; preventing throwing,l of the lever into t e stand and automaticall7 releasin upon abnormal ressure on the ever ten mg to move the ever out of the stand after it has been received thereby, and automatic trip mechanism for holding the latch out of the path of the lever in position to be engaged and actuated by the lever to release the latch when the lever has been moved into the stand.

8. In a switch stand a stand for receiving a throwing lever, a lookin means adapted to be retracted by the t rowing lever upon abnormal pressure on the lever, and

means for holding the locking means in retracted position when the lever is disengaged.

9. In a switch stand, a stand for receiving a throwin lever, a latch means normally retaining tie lever in engagement with the stand, and means automatically actuated when the lever is disengaged from the stand to hold the latch means in retracted position out of the downward path of the lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of the two subscribed witnesses.

JULIAN H. KENDIG.

Witnesses:

AncHwAnrH MARTIN, ARTHUR SYNNESTVEDT.

Ooplol o! this patent may be obgained for ave cents nach, by nddreningttho Commissioner or Patente; Washington. D. O. 

